On The Other Side
by HeartOfGold15
Summary: Rainbow Dash wakes up in the afterlife, feeling awfully... good, for someone so dead. She is greeted by two spirit ponies claiming to be her guides, and they tell her about the Journey, an epic quest a ghost must make if they want to visit the physical plane. Rainbow's pumped up to go, but her guides are reluctant. Will Rainbow be able to make the Journey? -One Last Party spinoff-


Author's Note (A/N): This is the spin-off of One Last Party. If you haven't read it, go check it out! :) I did make the cover.

Also, this is NOT the sequel. The sequel has nothing to do with Rainbow Dash. In fact, it mostly centers on Fluttershy and Twilight...

I hope you enjoy this first chapter!

On The Other Side

Chapter 1

"Oh, look, I think she's waking up!"

Voices were swimming around a young pegasus' head. Everything was blurry and light, and colors pierced her eyelids. The mare, who had a cyan colored coat and rainbow mane, sat up while fighting off the dizziness that made her want to fall back down. Where was she...?

Her rosy eyes opened to reveal a whole new world around her. Clouds, unlike any she had ever seen before, made up most of the ground and surrounding area. The bright sky was filled with hues of pink, purple and blue. Memories slowly came back to her; that was right, her name was Rainbow Dash. She was dead...

A softly colored pink pony sat nearby, staring at the newly arrived mare. She had a patient aura about her that felt friendly and motherly, but this wasn't just a feeling. No, Rainbow Dash could see her aura. It was a gentle blue that spoke of kindness and brought feelings of security just by looking. She yawned loudly and suddenly, but noticed that she didn't need to breathe.

"Where am I? Is this the afterlife?" Rainbow questioned. Her voice sounded rather groggy, as if she had woken up from a long sleep. She gave herself a few seconds to truly wake up before looking around; now she stood up on all four hooves. In the corner of her eye, there stood a green stallion, but she focused her attention on the pink-colored mare.

"Yes it is! I'm glad you're finally awake, Rainbow Dash," the earth pony said, her voice high-pitched yet soft. "Me and Neon Streak were waiting for you to wake up! Oh, but let me explain. We're your guides, here to help you get situated for eternity. I should introduce myself. My name is Petal Poppy. It's a pleasure to meet you!"

_She kind of reminds me of Pinkie Pie, _Rainbow noted in her head. Apparently Petal Poppy could read her mind, because in the next moment, she spoke up, "That's right. Pinkie Pie was your girlfriend, correct? I'm not related to her, sadly," the mare giggled, "but I _am_ relatives with someone you might know." Her red mane jostled as she spoke, full of bouncy curls. And still Rainbow Dash was reminded of Pinkie.

"How did you know what I was thinking?" the cyan pegasus questioned. Petal Poppy chuckled knowingly, as if she was used to getting asked that. It was slightly irritating.

"Your thoughts are audible to everyone else in the afterlife until you learn to control it. After all, we have to trust that you're not a _vengeful _spirit. It would be a pain to throw you into the underworld..." the pink pony said sleepily. "So really, it's just a precaution. You seem like a good sport, Rainbow Dash, even if your life was stolen from you rather early on."

_That smirk of hers is getting really annoying. _Rainbow could have sworn that Poppy twitched ever so slightly. "Moving on. Do you have any questions, Rainbow Dash?" Petal Poppy asked. Rainbow Dash opened her mouth to speak – she was loaded with curiosity, and one question in particular was nagging at her mind.

"What about that whole 'being a ghost' thing? Can't I go back and haunt ponies?" Her voice sounded like a mixture of anger and disappointment. After all, she had said that if she ever were to die, she would pull pranks on others as a ghost. That was the best part about death, right? Plus, she needed to watch over Pinkie Pie.

Petal Poppy shook her head with a glint of understanding in her gold eyes.

"I get asked that question by every dang spirit, I swear! No, you can't go back and haunt others. There's a looking tower if you'd like to see your living loved ones, but you can't go back to the physical plane even as a spirit. You've gotta stay in the spirit plane," the mare explained.

A dramatic sigh released itself from Rainbow Dash.

"Seriously? What about the ghosts that I've read about in books? That I've _seen_? Why were they allowed to ghost around down there and not the rest of us?" Rainbow inquired angrily. It didn't seem fair to her at all. _What kind of justice system is this?_

"I'm sorry, Rainbow Dash, but they are exceptions. The particularly rowdy spirits down there are supposed to be in Tartarus, but have been released on certain terms. And the benevolent spirits, or ghosts, have earned their right to exist on the physical plane by going on The Journey," Poppy spoke, a bit of emphasis on Journey.

"The Journey? What in the hay is that?" Rainbow Dash asked. Petal Poppy sighed long and deep, as if she was too tired to elaborate on its definition. She gestured to Neon Streak, and the green stallion trotted over to Rainbow clumsily and began whispering in her ear.

"The Journey is a highly difficult trial to determine if a soul is worthy to visit the physical plane. First you have to be approved by the Judges, then you have to go through three starter trials before you can even go on the trail. If you manage to pass, then you're allowed to begin traveling the path down to the physical realm."

"But it's very dangerous... Many spirits from Tartarus, as well as the souls of those lost on the way to heaven, will attack you. You're only allowed to take a few supplies! It's hard to brave alone, so sometimes the Judges will allow two other ponies to travel with you..." His eyes were wide, as if the Journey scared him, too.

_What a bunch of wussies!_ Rainbow Dash thought. _I could go down the trail with my eyes closed and wings tied behind my back. _Her boldness had not been dimmed at all by death. The two other ponies, who could hear her thoughts, rolled their eyes.

_Neon Streak, we've sure got a spirit of a different kind on our hooves, huh? _Petal Poppy projected to the green stallion with her mind, but avoiding detection from Rainbow. He nodded, and his short black mane fell in his face. _We are her guides, after all..._

"Trail, shmail! I've got this in the bag, you'll see. Now where are these judges? I need to get approved so I can go visit Pinkie Pie," Rainbow stated coolly, looking around the surrounding area as if the Judges would just appear. Poppy shook her head – _when is this mare going to get it? You don't just "get approved!"_

_ "_You have to travel to the judges. They're at the Capitol of the spirit world. Which we, meaning Neon Streak and myself, are not permitted to take you to!" the pink mare finally growled. There was a lot of pent-up anger behind the formerly friendly pony's voice, and Neon Streak put a hoof in front of her to hold her back. _Sorry, Rainbow,_ he projected to the pegasus.

"It's okay. I get it," Rainbow Dash replied softly. Petal Poppy blinked in surprise; she had been expecting more resistance. Normally, defiance came easily to Rainbow, but she decided to recall what a friend had once taught her – that sometimes you have to change your tactics, and be _kind. _Or at least a little more quiet and calm.

"You do?" Neon Streak blurted. He almost seemed too happy that he wouldn't have to bring Rainbow Dash to the Judges, or anywhere else for that matter. The cyan-colored pegasus nodded.

"Yeah, I get that. So I can go there myself, right?" she chirped. Rainbow felt like she had discovered a loophole, when really she had missed the point by a long shot. Petal Poppy could see that Rainbow Dash had spent a lot of time with Pinkie Pie – both ponies were skilled at not understanding things.

Neon Streak sighed and stared at the ground, while Poppy was completely lost for words. The spirit they had been assigned wasn't exactly a bright one for sure, and the two guides dreaded to think about the future that lay ahead.


End file.
